What is an etching? Technique, history, key features

Kunstverlag Christoph Falk, Berlin – etchings from our own copperplate print workshop since 1982 · updated 12 November 2026

An etching is an intaglio print: the artist draws with a needle through an acid-resistant coating on a metal plate, acid deepens the exposed lines, and the ink held in those grooves is transferred under high pressure onto damp paper. Every sheet is an individual, hand-printed impression – not a reproduction and not a copy.

The principle in a nutshell

In an etching the ink does not sit on the surface of the printing block, as it does with a rubber stamp, but in fine grooves below the surface. That is why it is called intaglio printing. The German word Radierung comes from the Latin radere, “to scratch”, while the English “etching” refers to the biting action of the acid. How etching relates to other methods is explained in our comparison of printmaking techniques.

How an etching is made

The starting point is a polished plate, usually copper or zinc. It is covered with a thin ground, an acid-resistant layer of wax, resin or asphalt. The artist draws the image into this ground with an etching needle. The needle barely scratches the metal; it simply lays it bare. Because it glides easily through the soft ground, etched lines look free and sketch-like – the key difference from copper engraving, where every line is laboriously cut into the metal with a burin.

Next, the plate goes into an acid bath. Wherever the ground has been opened, the acid bites into the metal. The longer an area is etched, the deeper and wider the line becomes and the darker it prints. By covering finished passages and returning the plate to the bath, the artist can combine delicate distances and strong foregrounds on a single plate.

Once etching is complete, the ground is removed. To print, ink is rubbed into the lines and the surface is wiped clean again. Damp paper is laid on the plate, and both pass through the rollers of an intaglio press. The pressure forces the paper into the grooves and draws out the ink. Our page how an etching is printed shows this step by step as it happens in our workshop.

A short history of etching

Armourers etched metal long before artists printed from it. One of the first to use the technique for pictures was Daniel Hopfer of Augsburg (c. 1470–1536), who decorated armour for a living. Albrecht Dürer also made a handful of etchings, though he remained devoted mainly to engraving.

Etching reached its first peak in the 17th century, when Rembrandt used it like no one else to capture light and shadow with spontaneous lines. In the 18th century Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s views of Rome made etching the medium of the city view, and Francisco de Goya combined it with aquatint. The tradition of the city view – the veduta – continues to this day, for example in our city view etchings.

How to recognise a genuine etching

Plate mark: around the image you can usually see and feel a fine embossed edge where the plate pressed into the paper.
Raised lines: the ink stands slightly proud of the paper because it was pulled out of the grooves – often noticeable under raking light or with your fingertips.
No screen: under a magnifier the lines are solid ink, not the tiny dots of an offset or digital print.
Small variations: each plate is inked and wiped by hand, so no two impressions are exactly alike.

All the features and common pitfalls are covered in detail in how to identify an original print.

Monochrome or hand-coloured?

An etching is usually printed in one colour, typically black or a warm brown. Many sheets are then coloured by hand with watercolours. The printed lines remain visible and give the picture its structure, while the delicate colours bring skies, roofs and trees to life. For most etchings in our shop you can choose whether you want the sheet monochrome or hand-coloured. What makes the difference is explained on hand-coloured etchings.

Etchings from our collection

We offer more than 4,300 etchings. Our focus is on city views from more than 300 towns and cities, plus animals, plants and the four seasons by artists such as Peters, Sommer and Beloch. Every product page states the image, sheet and frame size. If you are unsure which size suits your wall, see sizes and formats.

Back to the overview: all topics in the guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is an etching an original?

Yes. An etching is an original print: each sheet is pulled individually from the plate the artist worked on. It is not a reproduction of a painting but the artwork itself, existing in several impressions.

What is the difference between etching and engraving?

In etching the acid does the work: the artist draws with a needle into an acid-resistant ground and the plate is bitten in an acid bath. In engraving every line is cut directly into the metal with a burin. Etched lines look freer, engraved lines more even and crisp. More on this: copper engraving.

What is an etching plate made of?

Usually copper or zinc. Copper is harder and allows very fine lines and many impressions; zinc is cheaper and bites faster.

Why is the paper indented around the image?

That is the plate mark. Under the high pressure of the press, the edge of the metal plate is pressed into the damp paper. This embossing is a typical feature of intaglio printing.

Read on

All topics in the guide

What is an etching? Technique, history and how to recognise one